Circuit breaker



May 20, 1941.

CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed April l, 1940 T. M. COLE EI'AL @0A/As M, Caf and 2 Sheets-Sheet l YRIFPED Snveniors (Ittorneg May 20, 1941. T. M. COLE Erm.

CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed April l, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 nventors Gttorneg Psxenred May 2o, 1941 CIRCUIT BREAKER Thomas M. Cole, New York, N. Y., and Christopher I. Smith, Newark. N. J., asslgnors to Cole Electric Products Co. Inc., Long Island City, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application April 1, 1940, Serial No. 327,150

(Cl. 20o-116) 17 Claims.

This invention relates to electric circuit breakers and more particularly 'to circuit breakers constructed and arranged to be actuated in response to current over-loads and also to be actuated manually for making and breaking the circuit.

One object of the invention is the provision of a circuit breaker of the type which is operable automatically in response to current over-loading of the circuit, and which is also manually operable for resetting the same after it is tripped in response to the over-load and for manually opening the same in the absence of an overload, the construction and arrangement of the several parts of the circuit breaker being such as to facilitate the resetting and manual operations.

Another object of the invention is to provide a circuit breaker of ythe character described and embodying means for effecting a snap action of the circuit `breaker in the operation thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a circuit breaker of the type described which is well adapted for alternating current circuits and which is constructed and arranged to operate with a somewhat delayed circuit-breaking action.

A further object of the invention is to provide a circuit breaker of the character described which lis simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and easy to manipulate in the manual operation thereof.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be fully understood from the following description considered with reference to the accompanying drawings.

' In the drawings:

Fig. l is a sectional view of a circuit breaker embodying the present invention, showing the circuit breaker closed;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l showing the Fig. 9 is a view of the circuit breaker shown in Fig. 8 illustrating such breaker in tripped condition:

Fig. 10 is a view of the circuit breaker shown in Fig. 8 and illustrating the circuit breaker in reset condition but with the contacts open, part being broken away for illustrative purposes;

Fig. l1 is a sectional view on the line ii-ii of Fig. 8.

Reference being had now to the drawings in detail and referring rst to the form of thei invention illustrated in Figs. l to 6, the circuit breaker comprises as here shown, a receptacle or base I0, preferably made of "Bakelite" or other suitable insulation material provided with a removable cover or panel i2 of similar material having an opening il. A switch operating member it is pivotally mounted within receptacle ill and is provided with an operating knob or handle I8 which projects through opening Il in said receptacle cover i2. Said operating member i0 is also preferably formed of Bakelite or other suitable insulation material and has a fiat body portion 2l provided at opposite sides thereof with integral cylindrical projections 22 and 24 which engage in bearing portions 26 and 22 formed in the opposite side walls respectively of receptacle ill. Bald bearing portions 28 and 28 are formed at the lower ends of grooves lll which extend to the open end of the receptacle opposite closed end wall 32 thereof. Filler strips 3l are removably positioned in said grooves and engage, at their inner ends, projeccircuit breaker in tripped condition in response to a circuit over-load;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l showing the circuit breaker reset, but still open;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 4-4 of Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the circuit breaker, the cover being removed;

Fig.' 6 is a top plan view of part of the circuit breaker, the cover being in position;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 3, illustrating a modification;

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. l, showing another form of the invention tions 22 and 2l, respectively, and are engaged at their outer'ends by the inner surface of cover I2. The end of body portion 20 adjacent knob I0 is provided with a laterally extending part 26 engageable with the opposite side edges of opening I4 in freely movable relation thereto. The function of part $8 will be hereinafter explained.

A contact member Il is xedto body portion 20 and is mounted in a recess formed by an arc-barrier rib 4| formed integrally with said body portion. Contact member 38 is electrically connected by a flexible conductor Il to a terminal member l2 disposed in a groove Il, said terminal member I2 being provided with a binding screw I5 for connecting a circuit wire. The other terminal 48 of the circuit breaker is disposed in a groove 40 at the opposite end of receptacle iii, and is provided with a binding screw Il for connectinga circuit wire.

A contact member M is engageable with and disengageable from contact member 3l and for that purpose is mounted for movement in relation to the latter. Said contact member 58 is ilxed to or formed as a part of a lever 52 movable with and in relation to operating member I6, for which purpose said lever 52 is pivotaliy nected to terminal member 46 and is electrically For this purpose arm 58,1 can be welded or otherwise secured to member` connected therewith.

46. The .other arm 60 of said tripping device 56 is arranged for engagement with and disengagement from the notched end 62 of contact lever 62. A spiral spring 64 is connected at one end thereof to switch lever 62 and at its other end is engaged in an opening in one of the side walls of the receptacle, as indicated at 65 in Fig. 4. A iiat spring 68 is ilxed to the inner surface of end wall 32 and is engaged by a projection 68 on operating member I6.

An arcing chamber member is formed as here shown by a U-shaped iibre strip 10, disposed in grooves 'I4 formed in the opposite side wall oi receptacle I0 at opposite sides of contact members 3B and 5U, and by a protective fibre strip 'I5 carried by body portion 20 of operating member I8 at the side edge thereof, adjacent said contact members 38 and 50. A fibre strip 'I6 is disposed in vertical grooves 78 in the end wall oi. receptacle ID in engagement with terminal member 46 for holding the latter in place.

In the operation of the circuit breaker described above, the parts being in the position illustrated in Fig. l which illustrates the closed condition ci the circuit breaker, upon the occurrence of a current over-load, bi-metallic strip 56 will disengage the notched end 62 of contact lever 52 thereby permitting spiral spring 64 to move said lever clockwise (viewing Fig. l) thereby disengaging contact member 50 i'rom contact member 88 and breaking the circuit. Thetripped condition of the circuit breaker is illustrated in Fig. 2. When it is desired to reset the circuit breaker preliminarily to the closing thereof, operating member I6 is moved counter-clockwise from the position shown in Fig. 2 to the position illustrated in Fig. 3. During this movement of member i6 the end 38a of part 36 thereof engages lever 52 and moves the same to a position to engage the notched end 82 thereof by the outer edge of arm 60 of the bi-metallic strip of current over-load device 56 and also tensioning spring 64. Finally the circuit breaker is operated to the closed-circuit position, illustrated in Fig. 1, by moving operating member I6 clockwise irom.the position illustrated in Fig. 3 to the position illustrated in Fig. 1. It will be noted that contact member 50 is stationary during the movement of operating member I8 to close the circuit breaker. It will be understood that the switch can beA manually opened while over-load device 68 is in engagement with contact lever 62, which remains stationary, this being accomplished by moving operating member I6 counter-clockwise from the position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in Fig. 3, arms 60 of the bi-metallic strip remaining in engagement with the notched end of contact lever 52.

It will be observed that the circuit breaker as thus constructed includes two ,movable contact members which are relatively movable for opening and closing the circuit breaker under 75 aaa-avi? the control of the manually actuated operating member I6 of the over-load responsive or tripping device 56. Also, it will be noted that when the circuit breaker is tripped automatically in response to current over-loads, contact member 38 moves a short distance in the same direction as contact member 60 and thus slows down the circuit-breaking action. This is a desirable feature when the circuit breaking is used in alternating-current circuits as arcing is thereby reduced. Movement of operating member I8 during the tripping of the circuit breaker whereby contact member 38 is also moved, as well as for other purposes hereafter detailed, is eiected by spring 66 in engagement with projection 68.

As illustrated in Fig. 6 cover I2 is provided with means to designate the condition or the circuit breaker for which purpose said cover is marked with the legends 011, om reset and tripped Provision is made for releasably holding knob I8 in each of said three indicating positions, one position of said knob I8 at or in engagement with edge I4a of opening I4 adjacent the legends off and reset, obviously indicating that the circuit breaker is `open and is in reset condition, ready to be closed when moved to the on position. The second position of knob I8 is when the latter aligns with the word on and is spaced from the edge I4b of opening i4 marked with the legend tripped A third position of knob I8 is when said knob engages the edge Mb of opening I4 marked with the legend tripped It will be understood that spring 66 in engagement with projection 88 and operating member 68 is by the shape thereof operable to move said operating member so that the knob I8 thereof engages edge I4b of opening I4 when the circuit breaker is tripped. Similarly in resetting the circuit breaker spring 68 holds operating member I8 in position so that the knob I8 thereof engages edge I4a of the opening I4 of cover I2 in the reset and "of position o1 the circuit breaker. When the latter is closed, knob I8 is positioned at the legend "on spaced somewhat from edge I4b of opening I4.

In this last mentioned position of operating member I6 the latter is biased for movement by spring .66 toward edge I4b but such movement is prevented by the engagement of contact members 38 and 50.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Fig. 7, the circuit breaker is constructed and operates substantially in the same way as the circuit breaker described above with references to the Figs. 1 to 6, except that the spiral spring 64a is connected at one end thereof to the body 20 of the operating member I6 as indicated at 65a, instead of being connected as at 65 to the side wall of the receptacle.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 8 to 11, spring 66 is omitted and in lieu thereof there is utilized a snap action or over-center device comprising 'a link 80 pivotally connected to the operating member I6a which corresponds to operating member I6 except that it is provided with an eye-forming part 82 in which one end of link is pivotally engaged. The other end of link 80 is slidably engaged in a guide mem.. ber 64 positioned in slots in the opposite side walls of receptacle yIll and held in position by a bre ller strip 86 which engages one edge of said guide member 84 and the inner surface of cover I2. A spring 88 is disposed on link Il and bears at one end thereof on the shouldered end 90 of saidlink which pivotally engages the eye-formed part l2 of operating member Ila, the

, other end of said spring bearing against guide member Il. l

The operation oi' the circuit breaker illustrated in Figs. 8 to 11 will be apparent from the foregoing in comparison with Figs. l to 3, the condition of the circuit breaker in Figs. 8, 9, and 10 corresponding to the condition of the circuit breaker in Figs. l, 2, 3, respectively. It will be noted that in the closed condition of the circuit breaker knob Il of operating member 10a is spaced slightly from edge Mb of opening Il and that when the circuit breaker is tripped, knob I is moved by spring projected link Ill into engagement with edge Ilb and that when the circuit breaker is reset as illustrated in Fig. l0, knob l0 is moved with a snap action by said spring projected link I0 into engagement with the edge Ila of opening I4.' Also, 1t will be noted that the snap action device including spring projected link 80 is effective to move operating member lia with a snap action during the closing movement thereof, that is, from the position shown ln Fig. to the position shown in Fig. 8. Further, it` will be understood that when the circuit breaker is tripped by the over-load responsive device B6 contact member 3l follows contact member 5B and thus slows down the circuitbreaking action in response to over-loads substantially in the same way as described above in reference to the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6.

The over-load tripping device 5B is preferably provided with adjusting means. Accordingly as shown in the drawings provision is made for moving the edge of arm lll longitudinally of notch 62 of lever B2. This is accomplished by means of a set screw l2 which is threaded through an opening 84 in the closed end 32 of receptacle I2 and engages at its inner end with arm 5l of overload device 50.

It will be understood that in this manner ythe distance of the edge of arm 60v from the outer end of notch 62 can thus be regulated and that in shown and described are well adapted to accomplish the several objects of the invention. It will -be understood, however, that while we have shown and described several forms oi' the invention,I the latter may be embodied otherwise than as here specifically described or illustrated, and that in each of the forms of the invention herein disclosed, certain changes in the details of construction and in the arrangement of parts may be made and will occur to skilled artisans, in view of the present disclosure. Therefore, we do not wish to be limited to the invention as herein shown or'descrlbed, except, as may lbe required by the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described our invention what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: f

l. In an electric-circuit breaker, a casing, relatively movable companion contact members engageable with and disengageable from each other within said casing, both of said contact members being movable, and an operating mechanism for effecting the engagement and disengagement of said contact mem-bers for making and breaking the circuit, respectively, said operating mechanism comprising a manually operable member for -effecting movement of both kof said contact members, said manually operable member being mounted for turning movement in said casing and carrying one of said contact members, Athe other of said contact members being mounted for turning movement concentrically with said manually operable member, said manually operable member having a part projecting outwardly from said casing for the manual operation of the circuit breaker.

2. In an electric-circuit' breaker, relatively movable companion contact members engageable with and disengageable from each other, both of said contact members being movable, and an operating mechanism for effecting the engagement and disengagement of said contact members for making and breaking the circuit, respectively, said operating mechanism comprising current-responsive means for controlling movement of one of said contact members, and a manually operable member for effecting movement of the other of said contact members, a casing for said contact members and said operating mechanism, said contact members being mounted on said manually operable member in said casing, said manually operable member having a part vprojecting outwardly of said casing.

3. In an electric-circuit breaker, a casing, relatively movable companion contact ,members engageable with and disengageable from each other` both of said contact members being movable, and an operating mechanism for effecting the engagement and disengagement of said contact members for making and breaking the circuit, respectively. said operating mechanism comprising a manually operable member for effecting movement of both of said contact members, said manually operable member being mounted for turning movement and carrying one of said contact members, the other of said contact members being mounted for turning movement concentrically with said manually operable member, current-responsive means, and means operable underthe control of said current-responsive means for automatically disengaging said contact members, said manually operable member being mounted for turning movement in said casing and carrying one of said contact members, the other of said contact members being mounted for turning movement concentrically with said manually operable member, said manually operable member having a part projecting outwardly from said casing for the manual operation of the circuit breaker.

4. In an electric-circuit breaker, relatively movable companion contact members engageable with and disengageable from each other, both of A said contact members being movable, and an operating mechanism for effecting the engagement and disengagement of said contact members for making and breaking the circuit, respectively, said oper-ating mechanism comprising a movable member on which one of said contact members ls mounted, a movable arm on which said other contact member is carried, said arm being mounted on said movable member for movement in relation thereto, current-responsive means releasably engageable with said arm for preventing movement of said arm in one direction, and means operable under the control of said current-responsive means for moving said arm in the said direction for disengaging said contact members.

5. In @an electric-circuit breaker, relatively lmovable companion contact members engageable With said arm to hold the latter against move ment in one direction and disengageable from said arm to permit movement thereof in said direction, and means automatically operable' to move said arm in said direction upon disengagement of said bi-metallic strip therefrom for disengaging said contact members.

6. In an electric-circuit breaker, a movable operating members, a contact member movable to closed and open positions under the control of said operating member, a pivotally mounted arm, a companion contact member carried ,by said varm at one side of its pivot and movable to closed and open positions, and means engageable with said arm at the other side of its pivot for releasably holding said companion contact member substantially stationary during the movement of said first mentioned contact member to said closed and open positions thereof.

7. In an electric-circuit breaker, a movable operating member, a contact member movable to closed and open positions under the control of said operating member, a companion contact member movable to closed and open positions, both of said contact members being carried by said operating member, and means for releasably holding said companion contact member substantially stationary during the/movement of said first mentioned contactmember to said closed and open positions thereof, said last mentioned means including current-responsive means for releasing said companion contact member for movementto said open position thereof.

8. In an electric-circuit breaker, a movable operating member, a contact member movable to closed and open positions under the control of said operating member, a companion contact member movable to closed and open positions, both of said contact members being carried by said operating member, and means for releasably holding said companion contact member substantially stationary during the movement of said rst mentioned contact member to said closed Iand open position thereof, said last mentioned means including current-responsive means for releasing said companion contact member for movement to said open position thereof, said operating member being operable to move said companion contact member, after the release thereof, for re-setting the same in said first mentioned position thereof for engagement by said first mentioned contact member.

9. In an electric-circuit breaker, a receptacle, an operating member of insulation material pivotally mounted in said receptacle and having a manually operable part accessible externally of the receptacle for'actuating said member, a contact member carried by said operating member, an arm pivotally mounted in said receptacle on apivot concentrically with said operating member, a contact member carried by said arm and movable therewith, said contact members being engageable with and disengageable from each other under the control of said operating member, and means for actuating said arm to disengage said contact members.

10. In an electric-circuit breaker, a receptacle, an operating member of insulation material pivotally mounted in said receptacle and having a manually operable part accessible externally of the receptacle for actuating said member, a contact member carried by said operating member, an arm pivotally mounted in said receptacle on a pivot concentrically with said operating member, a contact member carried. by said arm and movable therewith, said contact members being engageable with and disengageable from each other, under the control of said operating member and a current-responsive tripping mechanism associated with said arm operative to cause the disengagement of said Contact members independently of the actuation of said operating member by said manually operable part.

11. In an electric-circuit breaker, relatively movable companion contact members engageable with and disengageable fromyeach other, both of said cotnact members being movable, and an operating mechanism for effecting the engage ment and disengagement of said contact members for making and breaking the circuit, respectively, said operating mechanism comprising a manually operable pivotally movable member for effecting movement of both of said contact members, one of said companion contact members being carried by said pivotally movable member, and spring means engageable with said manually operable member effective to oppose movement thereof and also to assist in the movement thereof.

12. In an electric-circuit'breaker, a movable operating member, a contact member movable to closedv and open positions under the control of said operating member, a companion contact member movable to closed and open positions, said rst mentioned contact member beingy carried by said operating member, and means for releasably holding said companion contact member substantially stationary during the movement of said first mentioned contact member to said closed and open positions thereof, and an overcenter spring device including a part of said operating member and a spring projected member connected to said part operable to complete the movement of said manually operable member after a partial movement thereof.

13. In an electric-circuit breaker, a movable operating member, a contact member movable to closed and open positions under the control of said operating member, a companion contact member movable to closed and open positions. said first mentioned contact member being carried by said operating member, and means for releasably holding said companion contact member substantially stationary during the movement of said first mentioned contact member to said closed and open positions thereof, and an overcenter spring device operable to complete the movement of said manually operable member after a partial movement thereof, comprising a spring projected `link pivotally connected to said manually operable member.

14. In an electric-circuit breaker, a pivotally movable operating member, a contact member movable to closed and open positions under the control of said operating member, a companion contact member movable to closed and open positions, said first mentioned contact member being carried by said operating member, and means for releasably holding said companion contact member substantially stationary during the movement of said iirst mentioned contact member to said closed and open positions thereof. said last mentioned means including current-responsive means for releasing said companion contact member for movement to said open position thereof, and spring means engageable with said operating member eectlve to oppose movement thereof and also to assist in the movement thereof.

15. In an electric-circuit breaker, a movable operating member, a contact member movable to closed and open positions under the control of said operating member, a companion contact member movable to closed and open positions, said rst mentioned contact member being carried by said operating member, and means for releasably holding said companion contact member substantially stationary during the movement of said rst mentioned contact member to said closed and open position thereof, said last mentioned means including current-responsive means for releasing said companion contact member for movement to said open position thereof, and an over-center spring device operable to complete the movement of said operating member in both the opening and closing operations thereof after movement thereof is initiated.

16. In an electric-circuit breaker, relatively movable companion contact members engageable with and disengageable from each other, both of said contact members being movable, and an operating mechanism for effecting the engagement and disengagement of said contact members for making and breaking the circuit, respectively, said operating mechanism comprising currentresponsive means for controlling movement of one said contact members, said operating means including a manually operable member for effecting movement of the other of said contact members, both of said contact members being mounted on said manually operable member and means for moving said other contact member in the same direction as said one contact member during part of the movement of the latter to circuit-opening position under the control of said current-responsive means.

1'7. In an electric-circuit breaker, relatively movable companion contact members engageable with and disengageable from each other, both of said contact members being movable, and an operating mechanism for eecting the engagement and disengagement of said contact members for making and breaking the circuit, respectively, said operating mechanism comprising a movable member on which one of said contact members is mounted, a movable arm on which said other contact member is carried, said movable arm being also mounted on said movable member of the operating mechanism. current responsive means for preventing movement of said arm in one direction, and means operable under the control of said current-responsive means for moving said arm in the said direction for disengaging said contact members, and means ror moving said movable member and said contact mounted thereon in the same direction as said arm during part of the movement of the latter to circuit-opening position under the control of said current-responsive means.

'THOMAS M. COLE. CHRISTOPHER I. SMITH. 

